High speed weighing scale

ABSTRACT

A high speed weighing scale for use in a continuous mail sorting and postage imprinting system which automatically weighs and meters each piece of mail. The system is designed to rapidly handle a large quantity of mixed mail. Mixed mail is continuously and synchronously fed in seriatim along a continuous feed path. Unsealed envelopes have their flaps wetted and sealed. All the envelopes are stopped at a weighing station where they are weighed, and the postage corresponding to their particular weight is computed. The determined postage value is used to continuously reset a postage meter which imprints the required postage upon each envelope as it arrives at a metering station. The metering and weighing functions of the system are synchronized such that the postage meter will imprint the proper postage upon each piece of mail, despite the fact that several envelopes may be simultaneously in transit along the feed path. Overweight pieces of mail are rejected from the feed path prior to their reaching the postage meter station. Metered and overweight pieces of mail are separately stacked.

United States Patent [1 1 Zucker et al.

HIGH SPEED WEIGHING SCALE Inventors: Fredric E. Zucker, Stamford, Conn.;

Anthony Storace, Tarrytown, NY; Paul R. Sette, Hamden, Conn.

Assignee: Pitney-Bowes, Inc., Stamford, Conn. Filed: Nov. 11, 1974 Appl. No.: 522,712

Related US. Application Data Division of Ser. No. 476,655, June 5, 1974, Pat. No. 3,861,480.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1971 Weyrauch 250/231 R 6/1971 Akuta 177/170 X 4/1974 Freeman 177/168 X 12/1971 Garnett 177/170 X Nov. 4, 1975 [57] ABSTRACT A high speed weighing scale for use in a continuous mail sorting and postage imprinting system which automatically weighs and meters each piece of mail. The system is designed to rapidly handle a large quantity of mixed mail. Mixed mail is continuously and synchronously fed in seriatim along a continuous feed path. Unsealed envelopes have their flaps wetted and sealed. All the envelopes are stopped at a weighing station where they are weighed, and the postage corresponding to their particular weight is computed. The determined postage value is used to continuously reset a postage meter which imprints the required postage upon each envelope as it arrives at a metering station. The metering and weighing functions of the system are synchronized such that the postage meter will imprint the proper postage upon each piece of mail, despite the fact that several envelopes may be simultaneously in transit along the feed path. Overweight pieces of mail are rejected from the feed path prior to their reaching the postage meter station. Metered and overweight pieces of mail are separately stacked.

6 Claims, 30 Drawing Figures US. Patent 'N0v.4, 1975 Sheet30f 19 3,917,012

US. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 Sheet5of 19 3,917,012

U.S. Patent "Nov.4, 1975 Sheet7of 19 3,917,012

US. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 FIG.7

Sheet 8 of 19 v U.S. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 Sheet90f 19 3,917,012

CLOCK PULSE W i L III-3505 FlGzB Ila. 'uc FIG. l lo.,b, c, d.

Ilb nd.

FIG. He

US. Patent NOV.4, 1975 Sheet 10 of 19 3,917,012

FIG. l0

ACTUATOR SETTINGS STEDPER MOTORS sousuoaos DOLLARS (o4) TENS (0-9) CENTS (0-9) 3m 302 305504 T \X\ \P\ 307 v 309 3: 8 326 334 sal 324 am FIG. 8

US. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 Sheet 14 of 19 3,917,012

10040 dwaawkm man aokm

mmm

ETwE

$41 Emma US. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 Sheet 17 of 19 3,917,012

U.S. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 Sheet 18 of 19 3,917,012

v vv A Nov 

1. A zero-adjustment device for a weighing scale, comprising: a coil spring operatively connected to a weight responsive member of said weighing scale; a lead screw connected to said coil spring; a motor connected to said lead screw for turning said lead screw and thereby exerting a force upon said coil spring and said weight responsive member connected to said coil spring, said force acting tO adjust the weight responsive member to a zero position; and position sensing means operatively connected to said motor for sensing the position of the weight responsive member of said weighing scale, and for activating said motor when the position of the weight responsive member is other than at said zero position, said position sensing means comprising a light source and photodetector means operatively connected to said motor and receiving light from said light source, said weight responsive member acting to block the light from said light source to said photodetector menas when said weight responsive member is other than at said zero position, whereby the photodetector means causes said motor to activate to adjust the position of said weight responsive member.
 2. The zero-adjustment device of claim 1, wherein said weight responsive member comprises at least one leaf spring and a weighing tray connected to said leaf spring.
 3. The zero-adjustment device of claim 2, wherein said coil spring has a spring rate which is a fraction of a spring rate of said leaf spring.
 4. The zero-adjustment device of claim 3, wherein there are two leaf springs connected to said weighing tray, and the spring rate of the coil spring is 1/20th of the combined spring rates of said leaf springs.
 5. A weighing apparatus, comprising: a weight receiving responsive member movably supported between a zero position and a range of weighing positions; a support for said weight responsive member; at least one spring interconnected between said support and said weight responsive member, said spring having a fixed spring rate; a stationary light source disposed adjacent said weight responsive member; means defining a light path originating from said light source and including a light window; shutter means carried by said weight responsive member for limiting the light passing through said light window, an amount of light passing through said window being indicative of the movement of the weight responsive member; a bank of photodetectors arranged substantially in a line and disposed along said light path for detecting the amount of light passing through said light window; and means to change the orientation of said bank of photodetectors with respect to said light path.
 6. In a weighing apparatus, the combination comprising: a bank of photodetectors supported upon a pivotable support member, said photodetectors arranged substantially in a line, each of said detectors spaced apart a given distance from an adjacent photodetector; a base; a pivotable support member supporting the bank of photodetectors and pivotable about said base; and a turnbuckle mechanism connected to said bank of photodetectors and carried by said base, said turnbuckle being operative to pivot said pivotable support about said base. 